Bondholders triumph at Derbyshire Business Awards

Several Marketing Derby Bondholders have triumphed at the Derbyshire Business Awards, organised by East Midlands Chamber.

SureScreen Diagnostics, which has supplied millions of Covid-19 lateral flow tests to British people during the pandemic, scooped several awards on the night, including the coveted Derbyshire Business of the Year title.

At the awards, which took place at Derbyshire County Cricket Club, the firm also won the Excellence in Innovation category, Excellence in International Trade and the Outstanding Growth Award.

SureScreen has grown from a workforce of 50 employees to 450 over the past 18 months, as it has scaled up production of its rapid antigen tests, which diagnose whether an individual has Covid-19 with 98% accuracy.

These have been shipped to about 40 countries and the UK Government ordered 22 million units, while antibody tests have also been supplied to 53 countries – leading to SureScreen planning to build extra manufacturing capacity that could create another 1,000 jobs in future.

The Derbyshire Business Awards, held in partnership with headline sponsor Mazars, recognised winners across 13 categories.

Other Bondholder winners included the team behind Derby Market Place, which won the Excellence in Collaboration title.

The project saw Derby City Council and Katapult work together to create Derby Market Place Alfresco Dining Experience, which launched last year as a Covid-safe place for visitors to eat and drink.

There was also success for another project involving the city council, with the DE-Carbonise Project winning the Environmental Impact Award.

On the night, Derby doughnut-maker Project D added to its already bulging trophy cabinet, winning Small Business of the Year.

And there was individual success for Max Vaughan, from White Peak Distillery, who won the Entrepreneur of the Year title.

Scott Knowles, chief executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “There has been so much to celebrate within our business community despite a challenging 18 months and these awards have showcased some of the incredible companies that call our region home.

“As the economic recovery continues, and new opportunities present themselves in a new era of global trade and sustainable business, these are just the kinds of organisations we should be highlighting when we’re shouting about everything the East Midlands has to offer. We know it’s a great place to do business and these are living proof.”

East Midlands Chamber president Eileen Richards MBE said: “SureScreen Diagnostics is a very worthy winner of the Derbyshire Business of the Year and I’ve been in awe of the growth it has experienced over the past 18 months while also playing a pivotal role in the fight against Covid-19 both in the UK and overseas.”